Jesse Russell Youree

1st Lieutenant, Co. E

34th Texas Cavalry

In 1862 Jesse, along with many Missouri Confederates, left
Jackson County Missouri for Bonham, Fannin Co. Texas. On
March 1, 1862 Jesse enlisted in the 34th Texas Cavalry. He
served under Captain J. R. Russel, originally as a 2nd
Lieutenant and later was promoted to 1st Lieutenant. He was
stationed at Camp Alliston near Shreveport, Louisana. On May
18, 1864, Jesse Russell Youree was captured at Yellow Bayou
and transported to New Orleans where he was held as a
prisoner of war. On July 31, 1864, Jesse was transferred to Red
River Landing, where he was exchanged for a Union soldier of
equal rank. Jesse was in poor health as a result of his captivity
but returned to his unit where he continued to fight for the
Confederacy until it lay down its arms. On June 19, 1865, Jesse
signed a pledge never again to bear arms against the United
States of America. He returned to his home in Oak Grove,
Missouri where, according to the 1880 census, he was
employed as a livery man.

The Youree Family had a long history of being horsemen and raised and raced horses back in
Murfreesboro, Rutherford Co., Tennessee where Jesse was born. Jesse was the youngest of 15
children born to William Hart Youree and Mary Carnahan of Murfreesboro Tennessee and later
Jackson County Missouri.

According to the Youree Family Bible, registered on May 19, 1870 with the Jackson County
Missouri Clerk, Jesse's Family are as follows:

Parents:

William H. Youree b. July 26, 1789

Mary Carnahan Youree b. January 3, 1795

Siblings:

Elizabeth Youree b. April 18, 1814

Francis Youree b. December 15, 1815

Andrew Youree b. December 15, 1815 twin of the above

John Youree b. December 01, 1817

James Youree b. March 12, 1819

David Youree b. March 14, 1821

William Youree b. August 13, 1823

Joseph Youree b. July 10, 1825

Ann Youree b. May 21, 1827

Thomas Youree b. April 01, 1829

Robert Youree b. March 14, 1831

Mary Youree b. February 25, 1833

Martha Youree b. April 01, 1835

Athaliah Youree b. January 26, 1838

Jesse Russell Youree b. November 26, 1840

Jesse enlisted with his Missouri cousins. These may have been nephews. As you can see there
was considerable differences in the ages of his siblings. These Yourees returned to Shreveport
after the War and became prominent bankers there. There is a Youree Ave. in Shreveport. A.J.
Adair visited the area in the 1920's and wrote an article in his newspaper about it.

Jesse married Frances in 1862 in Jackson County Missouri. He left almost immediately for Texas.
His wife Frances Wallen Youree, was listed in the 1880 census and being a milliner. It was by
making hats that Frances held her family together during Jesse's frequent bouts with ill health and
later after his death. Five children were born to Jesse and Frances:

1. Albert born 1863

2. John Robert born 1878

3. Oda born 1873

4. George born 1775

5. Lillian Mae born 1877

Jesse died at the age of 40 (1881), having never fully recovered from his
war and capture experience. He is buried in the Oak Grove Missouri
Cemetary.

Jesse's daughter Oda Youree married Abner John (A. J.) Adair,
Missouri and Civil War Historian. Abner was the owner and editor of
the Oak Grove Banner and later the Odessa Democrat. He interviewed
many Civil War Veterans and wrote numerous articles for the
"Confederate Soldier Magazine." A. J. planned to write a book about
the Civil War but died suddenly and did not complete this task.

Sue Ellis Adair, (my mother) daughter of Oda Youree, third child of
Jesse and A. J. Adair represented the Daughters of the Confederacy for
the State of Missouri in Richmond, Virginia in 1932. Sue was 18 years old at the time and is seen
here in a Civil War Era dress worn at that time by Julia Jane Perrin, the grandmother of her future
husband, Morton Perrin Chiles, Jr. of Jackson County, Missouri.

If you would like some really good reading which helps explain the background of the Jackson
County boys, I recommend Tears and Turmoil: Order Number 11 by Joanne Chiles Eakin. It is
a short but powerful book about what happened to those left behind.

J. R. Youree, 1st Lt., Co. E, Alexander's Regiment, appears on a Roll of Prisoners of War
received at New Orleans, LA, from Brigadier General Jos. A. Mower, 21 May 1864. Roll dated
New Orleans, 21 May 1864. Captured at Yellow Bayou, LA, 18 May 1864.

J. R. Youree, 1st Lt., Alexander's Texas Regiment, appears on a register of Prisoners of War at
New Orleans, LA. When captured: 18 May 1864. Where captured: Near Yellow Bayou.
Exchanged 22 Jul 1864.

Roll dated Apr. 1865, absent, leave received 60 days leave absence ____ [unreadable] by
authority of Dept. Head Quarters. J. R. Youree, 2nd Lt., Co. E, Alexander's Regiment appears
on a copy of a List of commissioned officers elected and those relieved at the re-organization of
Colonel Alexander's Regiment, June 27, 1862 in accordance with the provisions of an Act of
Congress, approved April 16, 1862 and G. O. No. -- of Date June 26, 1862. List dated
Headquarters, Dept. Indian Territory, Ft. McCulloch, June 30, 1862. [He] Enlisted in place of C.
C. Bell.

I the undersigned, Prisoner of War, belonging to the Army of the Trans-Mississippi Department,
having been surrendered by General E. Kirby Smith, C. S. A., Commanding said Department to
Major General E. R. S. Canby, U. S. A., Commanding Army and Division of West Mississippi, do
hereby give my solemn PAROLE OF HONOR, that I will not hereafter serve in the Armies of the
Confederate States, or any military whatever, against the United States of America, or render aid
to the enemies of the latter, until properly exchanged in such manner as shall be mutually
approved by the respective authorities.

Residence: Jackson Co., MO.

Done at Shreveport, LA this 19th day of June 1865.

Signed J. R. Youree, 1st Lt., Co. E, 34 Regiment Texas

Etc., Etc.

Note: Robert S. Weddle, Plow-Horse Cavalry: The Caney Creek Boys of the 34th Cavalry,
(Austin, TX: Madrona Press, 1976.) mentions a William Youree several times. There is no
Confederate service record for an individual of this name. It must be assumed that the author had
William Youree as an incorrect name instead of Jesse R. Youree.